The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1887-06-23

thought struck him that sent the blood
rushing to his head, and made him for
a moment feel faint and dizzy.
In another moment he was climbing
up those beams nimbly as only a squir-
rel OF a boy could climb. He put his
hand under the heap of shavings and
chips, and it touched something very
hard and cold. He dashed off the
chips and shavings with which it was
covered, and disclosed the bell-tongue.
True wanted to shout for joy, but he
knew that he needed all his strength
just now, and restrained himself. He
could not have lifted the bell-tongue,
even if he had not been obliged to cling
to a beam with one hand, but he could
draw it along to the edge of the scat
folding, and then, with one mighty eff
fort he pushed it of.
1t came to the floor with a crash that
seemed as if it might arouse all Cher
ryfield, and certainly did effectually
arouse the two sleeping boys, who
sprang to their feet, Rob with vague
impression that it was the report of a
cannon, and that his time had now
come to fight something.
1t was a happy moment when they
realized that the b~ell-tongue was found,
though Tenney did grumble that they
fought to have been smart enough to
find it yesterday"
True thought that if he hadn't been
awake when that sunbeam struck the
corner, they never should have found
it, for who would have thought that
anybody could carry it away up there
to hide it?
It was no small undertaking to re-
place the tongue in the bell, but. after
much lifting and struggling, it. a
done, however.
Then they all pulled with a will, and
a clang that almost deafened them
came from the bell.
Sleeping Cherrytield was aroused in
a very few minutes, and asked in
amazement, what was the matter.
The new fire engine was taken out
with a rush and clamor. But where
was the frea People ran wildly about,
and nobody seemed to know.
The most mystifed man was old San
dy Movie, who rushed out of the house
in a maze of bcwilderment, and de-
clared that the bell was bewitched.
How else could it ring without a
tongue? And how could any human
creature get into the church when the
door was securely locked, and no win
dow broken, as anybody might see.
And still the bell rang wildly and
DANGEROUSLY, as such a sober-minded'
old ~church-bell was never known to
ring before. The spirit of a half dozen
Fourths of July seemed to possess it.
People on the outskirts of the town
began to think that the selectmen had
repented of not celebrating the Fourth,
and were making amends by celebrat-
ing the fifth, and they came hurriedly
driving into the village to see what
was the matter.
At length somebody more courageous
than Sandy Movie insisted upon going
into the church to investigate, and
Sandy went to get the key. The dis
covery that it was gone put a new face
upon the matter, and Sandy's suspicious
reverted to the boys whose plans he
overheard, and he volunteered to break
open a window and lead the search.
Rosy Movie at that time was pulling
the bed-clothes over her head, and won
dering what Oomld become of her, and
resolving never again to touch a key or
any thing else that she had no right to,
for all the candy in the world. Candy
was good, but, oh, how bad was the
terror she was suffering now!
And Rosy is not likely to forget her
resolve, although she was never found
out. The boys agreed that they would
ssnever be so mean as to tell of a girl,
anyway, 'and they were always suppos-
ed to have stolen the key from Sandy
Movies closet themselves.
When they heard the footsteps of their
r~escuers, the boys ceased to ring the
bell.
It was easy enough to open the trap
door from beneath. While the boys
were wondering anxiously whether il
wei could be opened, Sandy Movies
head popped up out of it like a Jack.
in-the-box.
Rob's father came next, and Rob
who meant to fight Indians-threw his
arms around his neck and-cried.
Rob's father had suffered some anx.
iety about him, but thought that he
had stayed at Brownsville with True,
Everybody agreed that the boys had
been sufficiently punished by their i'm.
prisonment and the loss of their Fourth
of July fun. Even Sandy Movie SAID
she guessed they wouldn't be so dread
full apt to do it again." But he may
have been somewhat softened by the
compliments which True paid him OF
his skill in hiding the bell-tongue.
The boys didn't care to say mucl
about their adventure. They felt as j
the trick they had tried to play hat
been turned upon themselves.
When True's Brownsville cousin
asked him what kind of a Fourth h
had, he replied. c~arelessly:
"Oh. a sky-high one!"
Which was certainly truer than tn
cousins, who had their own opinion o
C~herryield celebrations, believed.
But those three boys will never rim
another church bell without leave.-
Sophia SweH, in Golden Days.
WOMEN LACE-MAKERS.